Optical waveguides in Nd:GGG crystals produced by H+ or C3+ ion implantation.

The optical waveguides in neodymium-doped gadolinium gallium garnet crystal are fabricated, to our knowledge for the first time, by either H(+) or C(3+) ion implantation. The reconstructed refractive index profiles of the planar waveguides have shown, in both cases, the typical "enhanced well" + "barrier" distributions. The two-dimensional modal profiles of the channel waveguides, obtained by using an end-face coupling arrangement, are in good agreement with the simulated modal distributions. After moderate thermal annealing at 200 degrees C, the propagation loss of the H- and C-ion-implanted channel waveguides are reduced down to approximately 1.5 and approximately 1.6 dB/cm, respectively, which exhibits acceptable guiding qualities for applications on potential integrated laser generation.